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ANTIQUE DEALER - last known residence 1928 at GRANGE-over-SANDS, Kendal district. HELP urgently needed! If anyone recognizes or has some connection to this FREDERICK MICHAEL THOMPSON please contact me by replying to this post as I've HIT A BRICK WALL and can't find anything about his whereabouts from 1928! Sorry that this is a LONG and complicated family story, but I'd appreciate the details being read, you never know, my story may ring a bell or two with someone somewhere, and we can only post once for the same family, so better get it all down in one go! This is the most likely match that I've got, and I’ve been trying for a long time and it seems a pretty hot one to me!

FREDERICK MICHAEL THOMPSON was my mother's father, my grandfather, but she never knew him as he (supposedly) died, as she was told, when she was just 3 years old or so, she only knows what her mother told her, which corresponds to the details on her birth certificate etc. After never having found anything about him until recently, I've come across quite a few newspaper articles concerning him from 1918 -1928, but have never found a death record for him anywhere, no details of migration or travel – it’s as if he’s disappeared into thin air!
I haven't found a marriage record to my grandmother EMILY ISABEL LAMB either - however, on my mother's birth certificate along with his full name and occupation, at the time of my mother's birth (Dec. 1925) they shared the same address at 8 Clarence Rd, Gorleston on Sea, Gt Yarmouth. Before that, Emily Isabel was living in NORWICH, where my mother was born, which is where I imagine she would have met my grandfather (1924/1925), maybe as a nursery governess which is what she was.

These are the details that I've found:

b1877 in MILNTHORPE, Westmorland, married a MARGARET ELLEN STEWARDSON (from Barrow-in-Furness) in 1901 in Lancaster and living at 19 Lower Church Rd, LANCASTER.
In the 1911 census, he was 34 and spouse 33 and they had 5 children then, EVA b1901 Lancaster, FREDERICK c1905 Lancaster, ALICE c1906 Windermere, ELLEN c1909 Southminster ESSEX and ARTHUR c1910 Lancaster.

As I grew up my mother often spoke about her mother, the struggle they had etc as a child just the two of them as her half-sister was 10 yrs older in boarding school. A mystery that I've grown up with is that Emily Isabel used to write to a young girl called MADGE and she was always very sad and tearful when doing so. This young girl was about 11 yrs old as my mum recalls, but as she had never met her, she could only suppose. What confused my mother was that this young girl had the same surname as her, THOMPSON...

I've since discovered (thanks to the mother's maiden name being registered on the birth registration) that Frederick Michael and Margaret Ellen Stewardson had a daughter called MARJORIE (Madge for short!). She was born in Lancaster Oct, Nov, Dec 1913. I've also found 2 MORE of the 9 children: DOROTHY birth registered Jan, Feb, Mar 1915 (probably born Dec 1914) in Lancaster and NORAH 'A'. birth registered Jan, Feb, Mar 1917 with her birth probably being Dec 1916...

Frederick Michael was already a widower in 1918 and I've found Margaret Ellen's death registration as being last quarter of 1916 in KENDAL, WESTMORLAND, it could be that she died in childbirth or very, very soon afterwards...so NORAH 'A' was the last (and ninth) child...but I can't find 'the MISSING child out of the four that he stated as having in 1918!!! There's one more between ARTHUR and NORAH 'A' somewhere, but with no census records from that time, it's the needle in a haystack situation!

In Dec.1923 it seems (petty sessions article) that Frederick Michael (47) advertised for a housekeeper; a spinster nurse HANNAH JANE WILSON (46) replied to the ad, they arranged to meet in SKIPTON where he suggested that being a widower it may be better to marry - which they did on Dec 18th 1923 in NELSON, Lancashire. After 4 days in Blackpool, they went to his home in GRANGE OVER SANDS...things didn't go too well and she left him after just 2 weeks...

My mother has always talked about his occupation, antique dealer and that at one time he had a few shops, one being in LORD St, SOUTHPORT next to the GARRICK THEATRE. On my grandmother's death certificate in 1947, she was stated as being 'the widow of Frederick Michael Thompson'...maybe she went through a 'false' wedding with him thinking it was the real thing, anything is possible - and only a few weeks ago out of the blue, my mother said that she thought that her father had been 'a bigamist' - maybe she found the evidence by way of newspaper cuttings amongst her mother's belongings after her death???

Some more important information is:

- In May 1924, Hannah J Wilson was granted legal separation from FMT
- May 1927, he was held in police custody in WORTHING POLICE STATION, SUSSEX but 'escaped'. Recaptured almost immediately, he was then sent on remand to PORTSMOUTH PRISON.
-9th July 1927 found guilty of fraud and sentenced to 6 months penal servitude at Portsmouth Prison, Sussex...
- 5th Dec, a decree nisi was granted to Hannah J (Wilson)Thompson, and served on FMT whilst still in Portsmouth prison....(He should have finished his sentence about the middle of Dec, just days after that)....
This is where he just seems to 'disappear' from everywhere - maybe he died 1928/29 after all as my mother was told (as far as my mother knew, my grandmother never received any support from him if he was still alive), or he started a new life somewhere else, abroad even...

BUT what happened to his children whilst he was in prison for 6 months, as being a widower then a divorced man of 50/51, unless he had other family or the eldest children to look after the younger ones - what became of them, were they fostered out maybe - ??? So much of a mystery!

If you’ve got this far, BRAVO, you’ve read through this long saga (and there are many other details but not essential), thank you for your time! And here’s hoping, like a message in a bottle, something will come out of this. My mother is still living and she doesn’t know much about her father, she has no ‘fond memories’ of him because she was too young to remember him, if he really was around for a while – but for the rest, she has a memory that would put elephants to shame! She had a pretty rotten childhood but as she says, she didn’t really know any better and she had nothing to compare it with, and her and her mother were very close, which counted for her. Now the time is passing and I at least would like to know what became of the man that was in the true sense of the word, my grandfather.

One last twist, an ironic one at that - my mother is also named Margaret, the same as Frederick Michael's first wife and mother to his nine children!!

Thanks for any replies or help with this one

Wendy
<3

Hi Wendy.
I think you have put too much at once!

Can we just get a few facts please? Firstly, would this be your grandmother - she is the only Emily Isobel Lamb I can see (this one born Neath I think), though quite old to have a child in 1928:

Births Jun 1886 (>99%)
LAMB Emily Isabel Mouth 11a 763

Jan

So, you know this to be your Frederick because his occupation matches that on your mother's birth and/or marriage cert, is that right?

Name: Fred K Michael Thompson
Age in 1911: 34
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1877
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Milnthorpe, Westmorland, England
Civil Parish: Lancaster
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address: 7 New Road Lancaster
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Dealer In Antignes
Registration district: Lancaster
Registration District Number: 479
Sub-registration district: Lancaster
ED, institution, or vessel: 9
Piece: 25533

Fred K Michael Thompson 34
Margaret Ellen Thompson 33
Era Thompson 9
Frederick Thompson 6
Alice Thompson 5
Ellen Thompson 2
Arthur Thompson 1

Just for the record, this might well be his wife:

Deaths Dec 1916 (>99%)
Thompson Margaret E 38 Kendal 10b 91

Jan

Just to add, as I am sure you have found, there isn't an obvious birth reg for him. It might not help, but it might offer a few clues, or at least lead to some more family members.
Have you tried checking for matches in other members' trees? Use search box above.
In passing, I wonder if 'antiques dealer' was completely accurate!
Jan

Frederick R Thompson
England and Wales Census, 1881
Name: Frederick R Thompson
Age (Original): 4
Gender: Male
Birth Year: 1877
Birthplace: Milnthorpe, Westmorland, England
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Scholar
Address: Lancaster Road
Event Place: Heversham With Milnthorpe, Westmorland, England
Record Type: Household
Affiliate Publication Number: RG11
Piece/Folio: 5215 / 35
Page Number: 30
Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
Ralph Thompson Head M 47 Kendal, Westmorland, England
Barbara Thompson Wife F 45 Kendal, Westmorland, England
John W Thompson Son M 19 Milnthorpe, Westmorland, England
George G Thompson Son M 17 Milnthorpe, Westmorland, England
Florence Thompson Daughter F 15 Milnthorpe, Westmorland, England
Walter Thompson Son M 13 Milnthorpe, Westmorland, England
Eleanor Thompson Daughter F 11 Milnthorpe, Westmorland, England
Edith Thompson Daughter F 9 Milnthorpe, Westmorland, England
Caroline Thompson Daughter F 7 Milnthorpe, Westmorland, England
Frederick R Thompson Son M 4 Milnthorpe, Westmorland, England

That would be this one I think


Name: Frederick Ralph Thompson
Birth: Apr 1877 - Kendal, Westmorland





Possibly...

as Kendal covers Milnethorpe

Births Dec 1876
Thompson Frederick - Kendal 10b 676

Have I missed a vital piece of info after trying to read through but who does he name as father on the 1901 marriage cert

Witnesses would be useful

There are several Frederick Thompsons born in the area. None with middle name Michael. I favour this one, but only because mother Alice is living in Lancaster in 1911, an antique wardrobe dealer!

Name: Fredrick Thompson
Age: 4
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1877
Relationship to Head: Son (Child)
Father: Fredrick W. Thompson
Mother: Alice Thompson
Gender: Male
Where born: Milnthorpe, Westmorland, England
Civil Parish: Nether Kellet
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address: Cottage

Registration district: Lunesdale
Sub registration district: Arkholme
ED, institution, or vessel: 3
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 4274
Folio: 23
Page Number: 8
Household Members:
Name Age
Fredrick W. Thompson 26
Alice Thompson 25
Amie Thompson 6
Fredrick Thompson 4
John Thompson


Name: Alice Thompson

Age: 46
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1855
Relation to Head: Wife
Gender: Female
Spouse: Frederick Ward Thompson
Birth Place: Milnthorpe, Westmorland, England
Civil Parish: Lancaster
Ecclesiastical parish: St Anne
Town: Lancaster
County/Island: Lancashire

Registration district: Lancaster
Sub-registration district: Lancaster
ED, institution, or vessel: 05

Piece: 3988
Folio: 103
Page Number: 23
Household schedule number: 153

Frederick Ward Thompson 46
Alice Thompson 46
John Thompson 20
Alice Thompson 17
Ellen Thompson 10
Thomas Thompson 9

Name: Alice Thompson
Age in 1911: 57
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1854
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Milnthorpe, Westmorland, England
Civil Parish: Lancaster
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address: 20 St Nicholas St Lancaster
Marital Status: Widowed
Occupation: Antique Ward
Registration district: Lancaster
Registration District Number: 479
Sub-registration district: Lancaster
ED, institution, or vessel: 4
Piece: 25528

Alice Thompson 57
Thomas Thompson 19

wow, thankyou all for your contributions and so rapid! Much appretiated, but to start with the first reply from *brummiejan*

Hi jan

yes, I know it was a lot, but the idea was to post as much all in the one post!! EMILY ISABEL LAMB was my GRANDMOTHER, born in Neath...but MY mother was born 1925 (not 1928!!) It was n 1928 that it would seem as if FMT (my grandfather) disappeared from the 'scene', not forgetting that he was still in prison in December 1928, but seems he never 're-appeared'.

In 1925 Emily (grandmother) was 39 when my mum was born...I had a child at 39 also - must run in the family lol ! :-D

...Like I said in the original posting, I believe that this is is the hotest match I've found so far - I can't possibly say that it's the right one, but bearing in mind that I've grown up with all the info that my mum has always talked to me about, the Frederick Michael that I'm looking for (older than my grandmother, where he came from, what he did etc) this is the only one that I've found so far!

And yes, this is the same death record that I have:

Deaths Dec 1916 (>99%)
Thompson Margaret E 38 Kendal 10b 91

thanks for the input

PS as I've never posted here before, I hope I'm doing it correctly...

<3

Jan
yes i have found the same missing obvious birth records - it seems that the whole population 'up there' in the North are called Thompson - and nearly all the males were named Frederick mdr - it could well be that frederick is a traditional name, but it's the middle name that they're known by (my mother always said that Frederick wasn't frederick to her mother, but Michael), so maybe that's why....but you're right as I came unstuck there aswell!

So have you got the marriage cert ?

oops, forgot to say, yes antiques dealer (or even furniture dealer as it says in 1901 census) or even 'picture dealer' in one newspaper - the other newspapers refer to 'antique dealer', which is what I have on my mother's birth cert.

Hi Yvonne, Glitterbaby & Mike

Thanks to you all, the one I'm looking for is definate with Michael as middle name.
no question.
I did come across a Ralph as a possible father of the FMT that I've found, but the frederick there doesn't have a middle name given...

I also don't have a birth record for him, just the details from census info.

and glitterbaby,
which marriage cert do you mean - to Margaret Ellen, yes
to hannah jane, yes
for my grandmother, emily isabel to FMT - no!!

i really can't say thankyou all enough for your help

:-)

Wendy, not sure if you have replied to the query above, but if you haven't got the marriage cert to Margaret I would consider getting it. If you are sure this is your Frederick obviously!
Seems a bit off the point maybe, but if you can track down some descendents you never know what information you might obtain.
I would also pursue what became of his children from that marriage - there is a marriage for Eva in Kendal, for example.
Jan

hi jan

yes, i did reply to glitterbaby's query last night -
I have the transcription of the marriage record of frederick MICHAEL thompson to a margaret ellen stewardson

from Findmypast

in the 1st quarter of 1901:

Record set: England & Wales marriages 1837-2008

District: Lancaster
County: Lancashire england (no district number given though)
Volume n° 8E
Page 997

...And no, it's not off the point what you suggested, to work from the descendents to see what i can find. i've just started with that, or more to the point, with the Madge (Marjorie) thompson, as she's the most likely one. thanks for the info on Eva/marriage, i'll look into that one -

you can't be sure until you have some sort of proof, but this frederick michael thompson is, as i said yesterday, the most LIKELY candidate so far.

i still believe that the reason that i've never found a marriage record to my grandmother Emily Isabel Lamb, is because either it never occured or if he did marry her, it could have been as a 'bigamist' - especially after what my mother came out with recently - and i don't know what happens with a so called 'false' marriage - does it remain on record? or if 'discovered', automatically becomes null and void and wiped out of all records?

the trouble with all of this is having the time to dedicate - i do a bit every day and now my dining table can't be seen for papers and files covering it!!!

have a nice day and thanks again for all of the contributions and your time

wendy

:-)

Lancashire Marriage indexes for the years: 1901

THOMPSON Frederick Michael STEWARDSON Margaret Ellen Lancaster, St Anne Preston CE10/2/277


Lancashire Birth indexes for the years: 1901

THOMPSON Eva Lancaster Preston STWARDSON LAN/98/98


Lancashire Birth indexes for the years: 1911

THOMPSON Henry Lancaster Preston STEWARDSON LAN/118/66


http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk/

(if anything else on link above!)

Chris :)

Lancashire Marriage indexes for the years: 1923

THOMPSON Frederick Michael WILSON Hannah Jane Great Marsden, St John the Evangelist Preston CE123/6/431

(quite a few newspaper articles)


Divorce Court File: 611. Appellant: Frederick Michael Thompson. Respondent: Hannah Jane Thompson

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C8053874

Hi Chris

Many thanks for your input above!

The marriage TOMPSON- STEWARDSON and
the EVA THOMPSON birth I have but....

Well done for finding the 'missing' child out of the 4 that were born after the 1911 census (and also before the birth of my famous 'Madge' (Marjorie) Thompson as no mother's maiden names available it seems until after 1911 - that's all of the 9 children now accounted for!!

I've got lots to learn doing this family tree business!!

I also have ALL the newspaper articles - and as you say - there are 'quite a feww LOL)!

Many thanks again for your time

Wendy